Wheel / Rim Decision help. Chrome or Black?

While waiting for the new tires to get here I checked my old rims. Not only are they 15x7's (I've always thought they were 15x8's) but one is egg shaped and another it potato chip shaped..

I'm running 33x12.50's.. The new tires are BFG KM2's.. and will be here today....

I've narrowed my choices down to 3 rims..

Crager Chrome Quick Tricks.. (model 320).. or similar.. for $276

Procomp Rock Crawler Series 52 for $236

Or

Procomp Rock Crawler Series 98 for $247

These are all 3.75 BS and all those prices are after shipping/tax.

I am going to mount the tires back on my old rims "for now" so I can do some measuring, but I don't think I can go any less BS without a bunch more fender trimming since I'm already "grabbing" the lip of the front fender once in a while while wheeling.

I know I can't go anymore BS since I'm already rubbing the Radius Arms when turning (not full lock)..

Here is a static "side shot" of the X before the extended RAs but the height is about the same.. I'm just not sure how Black Rims will look on a blue truck.

Coleman Side view by maniak_az, on Flickr

BTW, if someone could photoshop the black rims on our X, that would really help. Since our company got bought out, any non proven company owned software had to be removed from our machines so no more photoshop for me.


~Mark

 

[jremington59]

I vote the chrome. Is that price per rim?

 

[Dutch_explorer]

I'm going for the black rims. Tomorrow my new wheels arrive which are Gear alloy blackjacks. I got them for 135 US dollars a piece.

I just need to decide on the tires

 

[Maniak]

I vote the chrome. Is that price per rim?

I'm also wondering if you intended to buy new tires and rims why you didn't go up to 16's?

Those prices above are for 4 rims.. There is no way I'd pay anywhere near $150 or higher for a rim. Even $80/rim is too much for me.

We weren't really planning on buying new rims.. After I ordered the new tires I decided to double check the rims and thats when I found the 2 bent ones and found out they aren't what I thought they were.

Even if I knew we needed rims when we ordered the tires we probably would have stayed with the 15" since I want more sidewall flex for wheeling. I've seen too many people peel tires off the rims at lower pressures. I've run pressure down to 7-8psi and haven't peeled one off the rim (that was in Glamis). I rormally run 13psi or so. Of course, I have also learned that we were running 15x7's which helps "pinch" the tire onto the rim and helps keep it from rolling the bead off.

Also, the extra sidewall does help smooth out the ride. People that haven ridden with me when wheeling have commented on how quiet and smooth the ride is. Granted, most of it is the suspension but the tire flex helps too.

~Mark

 

[lynchy wa]

I like the chromies, that's pretty similar to what I'm looking at down the track. Plus you just cant beat chrome and blue for a colour combo.

 

[Maniak]

Well, I put my new km2's on the X last night on the old rims. I also have some 1/4 wheel spacers (cheapies)..

I'm going to use those to mess with the BS at different corners and see how much BS I can remove and not have the tires try to take out any more sheet metal when flexed. I do need to watch where the offset ends up though since Dana 35's bearings don't exactly stay tight.

I may use the sawzall to help get less BS to fit but I can only cut so much...

Also, here is a quick video I made last night of one of the bent rims. I put it on the balancer so you could see the movement...




~Mark

 

[jremington59]

I guess that rim does have a problem.

Thats a good price for new rims. The AR rims I was looking at were 150 each, so I resanded the old ones instead. Where did you get the spacers for yours?

 

[Maniak]

Well, here is a poser shot of the X with the new tires on the old rims. 33" tires with all their tread sure look bigger than tires worn down to about 30%.

33x12.50r15 BFG KM2's just installed by maniak_az, on Flickr

We decided NOT to use the spacers to figure out how much less BS we could get away with. I couldn't find them cheap enough to be worth the money.. Sooo....

I used the neighbors skid-steer to flex the truck some to figure out how much more room we have..

Turns out the rear wheels have > 1" (closer to 1.5") before they contact the outside fender so the rear won't be an issue.

The fronts, as they sit right now barely clear the fender BUT.. The front fenders still have the factory fold/lip on the inside of the fender. If I flatten that and maybe even pull the fender outward a little I'll gain about 1" of clearance, if not more...

I also found out I mis-measured the Backspacing.. Turns out right now we have 4" BS, not 3.75. I was measuring from the mounting surface to the edge of the bead which isn't correct.

That means for now, I'm leaning towards sticking with the 3.75" BS which will shove the tire out some. I'll look into 3.5" BS options, but I don't remember seeing much..

And of course, I'm still debating black or chrome...

~Mark

 

[lynchy wa]

She's looking great mate!!! Regardless of the colour choice, still going to be sweet.

 

[gmanpaint]

I like the chrome myself. They are classic, and look good for a long time.

Black steelies just looked cheap to me after awhile. Brand new, they look great, but after they get dirty, they look like chit. Just my 02.

Oh...nice tires!

 

[runyouover]

i like these

http://whippetwheels.com/view-wheel/status/trojan/wheel-color-chrome-with-black

 

[austin26372]

I'd go with a Cragar soft 8 in black.

 

[Maniak]

Well, I went with what was cheapest..

Total cost.. $150..

not sure if I'm gonna keep them this color, or paint 'em black. I think they look decent though..

New 15x8 Rims by maniak_az, on Flickr

~Mark

 

[cybergasm]

Well, I went with what was cheapest..

Total cost.. $150..

not sure if I'm gonna keep them this color, or paint 'em black. I think they look decent though..


~Mark

Take as road trip to Kansas for some powdercoating :